How close to the playoffs will the Sabres get this year?

[GoPuckYourself]

Why do you guys do this to yourselves? 

Edited April 7 by GoPuckYourself

[Gatorman0519]

Imagine if we had just one 5-6 game win streak? We’d be in right now. I think we ultimately miss by 4-5 points. 

[Pimlach]

9 hours ago, inkman said:

The Amerks, in a smaller city with a much smaller following, averaged 50% capacity in the regular season for a while now.  They sold out every playoff game.  This isn’t even a conversation. 

It was never a conversation in Buffalo until TP era.  

[LGR4GM]

They'll miss by 8 points. They can't win multiple games in a row and at best will go 3-2 

8 hours ago, GoPuckYourself said:

Why do you guys so this to yourselves? 

No idea. This team hasn't been playoff bound since December. Everyone from some fans to Granato to Adams has acted like that's not the case and the gm and coach showed no urgency to change it.

[Cranky old man]

Of course the team is invested,  they have their own individual interests  to consider at this point even more than the 1.7% playoff shot. Whether it’s Coach G or one of the millionaires, none of them can afford to look like they are preparing for golf season. The trade of Mitts showed that popular guys aren’t safe, even ones they could afford. KA put his faith in this group and they failed. This will be his last non playoff year as a Sabre GM. This team will not be the same next year. All the players want the best look for their new team whether it’s here or elsewhere. 

[Pimlach]

1 hour ago, Cranky old man said:

Of course the team is invested,  they have their own individual interests  to consider at this point even more than the 1.7% playoff shot. Whether it’s Coach G or one of the millionaires, none of them can afford to look like they are preparing for golf season. The trade of Mitts showed that popular guys aren’t safe, even ones they could afford. KA put his faith in this group and they failed. This will be his last non playoff year as a Sabre GM. This team will not be the same next year. All the players want the best look for their new team whether it’s here or elsewhere. 

KA put his faith in the group?   Adams should have put some better players into the group from the start.  He should have never let the goaltending situation get so bad after he failed to retain Ullmark.  He is dam lucky that UPL emerged by mid December or this team is bottom 5. 

He should have had a ready to play NHL roster that was breathing fire to start the season.   Instead he looked at AHL players and conducted a 3 month long goalie tryout to start the season.  

Adams is the boss.  He is most accountable for another lost season with no playoffs.  

 

[GASabresIUFAN]

 

[LGR4GM]

My 8pts prediction might be low 

[Wyldnwoody44]

the closet buffalo is getting to the playoffs.. Is Toronto 

[bunomatic]

As close as christmas. 

[Weave]

This seems to be about as close as they can get.  Every time they get within a couple of games they screw it up.

[Cranky old man]

Detroit 3 Buffalo 0, after 7:37 of play in the first period. Same old Sabres. Could $58m Owen Power be any less physical? Just saw Skinner stare at the puck on the wall, wanting no part of a physical altercation with the Red Wing who skated the puck away. If this team would wear out opponents  like they wear out us fans, we’d be in the playoffs. 

[Weave]

It’s drunken boomer posting in the wrong thread day.

 

[Weave]

Same story as last season, they start to get things interesting, a little pressure is on, and they can’t get it done.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

IN !!

[bob_sauve28]

It is official yet? Are we dead? 

[SwampD]

58 minutes ago, bob_sauve28 said:

It is official yet? Are we dead? 

Unfortunately, there was a living will, and someone just won’t pull the plug.

[Thorner]

1 hour ago, bob_sauve28 said:

It is official yet? Are we dead? 

50/50

[Billznut]

1 hour ago, bob_sauve28 said:

It is official yet? Are we dead? 

You can pronounce them dead every Thanksgiving and you won’t be wrong. I know I did. 

[Gatorman0519]

The whole hope for the playoffs the past month was madness.  We haven't won 4 in a row, how we suddenly going to win 7-8 in a row.  This team is not capable. 

[SABRES 0311]

So I think we have the answer to the OP’s question. I’m glad we could resolve the issue after today’s game.

[OverPowerYou]

It’s a trick question - this was their playoffs and they failed miserably. Again. 

[Alaska John]

There's a really good book (and a not quite so good movie) called The Art of Racing in the Rain, where a race car driver says you can't win the race in the first turn, but you can sure lose it in the first turn.

The Sabres consistently manage to lose their race to the playoffs in the first turn, by having a lousy record out of the gate.  For this there's no culprit as obvious as the coaching, which doesn't have the team ready to compete when the games start counting.  Granato acts like training camp is just a tryout process, and that keeps on going for 10 or 20 games.  When the Sabres finally get down to business, the race is over.  

There was an article in The Athletic in late 2023 about the Sabres going into one of their patented early-season swoons, where it said "It's happening.  Again."  And that was on the money, except it could have said "It's happened.  Again."  

Really the question is whether the team is willing to watch in happen again this fall.  

[LGR4GM]

Fire the f-ing coaches Terrance. 

[Sabres Fan in NS]

45 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Fire the f-ing coaches Terrance. 

Don't the coaches report directly to Adams?

He will not fire Granato.  Granato will fire some of the assistant coaches.